Samantha McLaren

Jan 7, 2025 | fangoria.com | Samantha McLaren

From Ireland's creepy Oddity to the German Alps-set Cuckoo, some of 2024's best horror hailed from outside of the US. That's one of the reasons I started this column: there's a whole wide world of horror out there, but fab foreign films can sometimes slip under the radar. And sure, there's plenty of schlock, too, but who doesn't want a little cheese in their diet? With that in mind, let's see what 2025 is dishing out.

Nov 7, 2024 | fangoria.com | Samantha McLaren

For many of us horror nerds, October is a time for revisiting old favorites, perhaps gleefully showing a few to those friends who only agree to watch scary movies once a year. Now that Halloween is over, you may be looking for something new. And once you’ve succumbed to the devilish charm of Hugh Grant in Heretic, you might be wondering: what’s next?

Nov 4, 2024 | horrorpress.com | Samantha McLaren

Rounding out my coverage for Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2024 is a film that I’m in love with. I’ll be upfront about it. Habit is a five-out-of-five film for me. Rather than a typical review, though, I think it would be fun to highlight what made the screening so special and what makes in-person screenings (as well as BHFF) such a remarkable experience. Let’s talk about my night seeing Larry Fessenden’s Habit.

Oct 25, 2024 | horrorpress.com | Samantha McLaren

In 1945, the body of farm worker Charles Walton was found on the slopes of Meon Hill in the quiet English parish of Lower Quinton. Walton had been beaten with a stick and had a pitchfork driven through his neck; some reports also claim that a large cross had been carved into his chest.

Oct 22, 2024 | horrorpress.com | Samantha McLaren

When a blood-stained note makes its way to the local post office, a “dead letter’ expert stumbles on to a deadly mystery. This fascinating thread and the beloved character of Jasper (Tomas Boykin), the mailroom clerk with a gift for finding the story behind any piece of suspicious mail is intriguing. However, Dead Mail reveals that it opened halfway through the story, so this is more of a long entryway into the world.